Popular chef 'icon' cooking at ML country club event

Members, their guests get one more meal by Kiyoji

MOSES LAKE — Sometimes "sayonara" isn't forever.

Kiyoji Miyamoto, the longtime local restaurateur who closed his celebrated, eponymous establishment Kiyoji's Sapporo International last year because of a struggling economy, will rise again at the Moses Lake Golf and Country Club Saturday.

"They called me up and asked if I could do this," Miyamoto said, noting that a club member apparently wanted a Kiyoji's dinner. "Maybe the member missed my dinner. It's nice to know that the people still remember me and miss my cooking."

Since November, Miyamoto has been working for the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife in Priest Rapids, Wash., where he said he is raising salmon.

"I kind of enjoy the outdoors anyway, but I do miss the people," he said, adding with a laugh,"It's different (going) from working a restaurant to talking to fish. They don't do much."

Miyamoto called the response when he closed his restaurant in July tremendous, and said he would like to go back into that business, but that would probably require finding a partner.

"We like to have several different functions for the members, make it fun and exciting," said Lucy Chavez, Moses Lake Golf and Country Club clubhouse manager. "I just feel that (Miyamoto) is a Moses Lake icon. Everybody really enjoyed his food and everybody is kind of sad to see him go, so it's a good thing to bring him back out for just one time. And it's good for the club, too."

The club is almost full of reservations for the event, Chavez said.

"Everybody is really, 'Oh my gosh, he's coming out to cook,'" she said. "It's really exciting."

The event is open to club members and their guests. A casino night will follow.

Miyamoto will be serving five different entrees — beef sashimi and salmon, tuna tataki with prawns, fresh crab dinner for two with a paper bowl of salmon, prawns, scallops, mushrooms and vegetables; panko breaded prawns and yaki niku beef served with prawns — during the event, beginning at 6 p.m. Appetizers will be gyozas, crab or prawn cocktails and tuna or beef sashimi.

"Most of his favorites, most of his popular dishes," Chavez said.

Both Miyamoto and Chavez said that the event is a one-time thing, and he will not be joining the permanent staff of the club.

Chavez said she called Miyamoto up for the event.

"He was actually flattered," she said. "He's obviously doing something totally different now. I know that his heart is in cooking."

Country club members can call 765-8131 to make reservations.